Here’s The Scoop…3 LBTS- VFD Incident Reports ……And “CAD” Reports The Facts…
May 13, 2009 by Barbara
Dear Readers…..This writer has learned since the LBTS-VFD took over in October with Vice Mayor/Deputy Chief McIntee “running” the department to wait for the Incident Report…to get the FACTS!…
Too many times the VFD P. R. led by McIntee on and off the dais is found to be pure spin…stories full of holes…
This Incident Report on the May 1st, 2009 Hyperbaric Chamber explosion was no exception….
Last night, the Vice Mayor read the LBTS-VFD press release…previously posted on this site…(scoops/VFD cat.)…and Comm Silverstone questioned the BSO’s press releases quite a few times…leaving quite a bad taste in the mouth of most residents in the hall…with their accusations and desire of praise and recognition for doing their jobs that day…
The Incident Report is contains the radio/phone (CAD) communication times…of dispatch, en route , arrival and clearing the scene…along with narratives from the firefighters…
Chief Perkins used a portion of the press release as his narrative (pg. 6)…
‘On the 1st of May 2009, at approximately 11:29 AM, the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a report of an EXPLOSION at 4001 North Ocean Drive in our town.
Chief Robert Perkins was the first fire officer on the scene and reported on location at 11:29:28 AM; just 1 minute and 55 seconds after the call was transmitted. Chief Perkins upon arrival was confronted with a three story commercial building with fire alarms sounding and smoke showing. The building at this stage was evacuated by the occupant, about 30-40 people. Chief Perkins immediately went into the structure located that alarm panel and determined where the alarm was activated from. This panel indicated the alarm was coming from one of the hyperbaric chambers. As Chief Perkins went into the Chamber room, he was met with heavy white smoke. Also in the room was a Sheriff’s Deputy who had a mask on. This Deputy indicated to Chief Perkins that we may have two victims inside one of the observed chambers. The Chief and Deputy Sheriff walked over to the suspect chamber, opened the chamber and observed two bodies, a young male and a middle aged female: both victims had extensive charring and burn injuries. At this point, the Chief alerted the Deputy Sheriff that he had to secure the building for immediate safety reasons. The Chief directed Inspector Paine of the VFD to turn off the oxygen, the power to the building and then the Chief gave orders to the incoming firemen and AMR ambulance personnel to begin the rescue work. One of the orders was to relocate the ambulance to the front of the building for easy regress of the victims. The Chief then returned to to the Deputy Sheriff who was standing by the occupied chamber, total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.
Chief Perkins went back and met with the Deputy Sheriff to explain to the Deputy how they werre going to remove the victims. The Chief stated that he wanted to pick the child up first and the Deputy assisted in this action. The Chief then picked up the child and handed him the victim to the Deputy and told him to go outside the front door AMR would be located there. The Deputy Sheriff then went outside with the young child. The Chief then began to lift the female victim out of the chamber. At this time, Firefighter Silverstone and Chavez came to the Chief’s aid. The female victim was carried out with Chief Perkins holding the legs and FF Silverstone and Chavez carrying the upper body of the victim. The three fighters working together carried the woman victim outside to a waiting AMR’
BC- That is most unfortunate…due to the inconsistencies found between his narrative/press release and the CAD report time…
CAD ( Computer Automated Dispatch) is from BSO and is radio/phone communications…all times are entered during the event….
In Chief Perkins’ narrative he states…
‘On the 1st of May 2009, at approximately 11:29 AM, the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched’
‘Chief Robert Perkins was the first fire officer on the scene and reported on location at 11:29:28 AM; just 1 minute and 55 seconds after the call was transmitted.’
The CAD Report states…(pg.1)…
Alarm Date and Time 11:27:24 Friday May 1,2009
Arrival Time 11:31:27
Chief Perkins Times…(pg. 2)…
Apparatus Dispatch Date and Time 11:29:28
Arrival Time 11:31:27
The Chief narrative he states…
‘As Chief Perkins went into the Chamber room, he was met with heavy white smoke. Also in the room was a Sheriff’s Deputy who had a mask on. This Deputy indicated to Chief Perkins that we may have two victims inside one of the observed chambers. The Chief and Deputy Sheriff walked over to the suspect chamber, opened the chamber and observed two bodies, a young male and a middle aged female: both victims had extensive charring and burn injuries. At this point, the Chief alerted the Deputy Sheriff that he had to secure the building for immediate safety reasons. The Chief directed Inspector Paine of the VFD to turn off the oxygen, the power to the building and then the Chief gave orders to the incoming firemen and AMR ambulance personnel to begin the rescue work. One of the orders was to relocate the ambulance to the front of the building for easy regress of the victims. The Chief then returned to to the Deputy Sheriff who was standing by the occupied chamber, total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.’
In Fire Inspector Steven Piane’s narrative he states….(pg.8)…
‘Upon arrival I found that the perimeter was being set up by using crime scene tape by BSO. I met with Command and was assigned to secure the electrical and oxygen supply to the building, the electrical service was turned off at the main disconnects electrical switches, which were located in west exterior meter room. The oxygen supply to suite 100 was turned off at the in-line valve which was located just before the entrance door to suite 100. I-12 then assisted SQ12 Crew with securing a firefighting hose line for fireground operations. A joint fire investigation was performed by BSO, State Fire Marshall’s office and the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea fire depatment. For more information in reference to cause and origin reports please see respective agencies reports. At this time, the fire investigation cause has not been determined and it is under investigation and will remain open.’
The CAD report states…
Inspector Paine Times…(pg.4)…
Apparatus Dispatch Date and Time 11:36:28 Friday May1,2009
Arrival Time 11:37:13
Chief Perkins narrative states….
‘The Chief directed Inspector Paine of the VFD to turn off the oxygen, the power to the building and then the Chief gave orders to the incoming firemen and AMR ambulance personnel to begin the rescue work. One of the orders was to relocate the ambulance to the front of the building for easy regress of the victims. The Chief then returned to to the Deputy Sheriff who was standing by the occupied chamber, total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.’
BC- The Chief states he arrived at 11:29:28 (CAD states that was in fact the Chief’s dispatch time) CAD arrival time 11:31:27
BC- The Chief says he left the Deputy …directed Inspector Paine…went outside took care of the AMR ambulances…and returned to the Deputy ..’total time lapsed, was 1-1 1/2 minutes between initially opening the occupied chamber and his return.’
BC-CAD report states Inspector Paine was dispatched at 11:36:28…arriving at 11:37:13..
BC- that means the Inspector did not arrive on scene until 6 minutes after the Chief…arriving…(BSO crime scene tape already going up)….and then he had to go meet up with Command…(Chief Perkins)…
BC- 1-1 1/2 minutes….Just does not add up!…
All were doing their jobs to the best of their abilities….but the LBTS-VFD Press Release are not based on the facts…
Last night Commissioner Dodd spoke of the Sunday May 3, 2009 equipment fire in Pompano Beach….He praised the LBTS-VFD for working alongside Pompano Beach in a “mutual aid” situation…Vice Mayor McIntee responded there was no mutual aid that the two Fire Depts. arrived on scene at same time…Well…according to the Pompano Beach Incident Report and The LBTS-VFD Incident Report…”Mutual Aid Was Given”(pg 1 and pg 5)…OOPS!…That is due to LBTS being asked to assist which they did…
BC- Next time VM read the VFD report!…
BC- the difference in the reports from Pompano Beach and LBTS is astounding!…The Pompano Beach report has separate timely accounts by each apparatus…done on the day of the event May 3,2009…LBTS-VFD wrote their report on May 11,2009…and again it was written by FF Chavez who was not on scene…YIKES!…
The Incident Report for Burger King…May 7,2009 does not show any injury on scene by the VFD Explorer…although previous LBTS-VFD Incident Reports do show minor injuries on scene by personnel….
We hear the story of the young man breaking his arm is not quite as stated by the Chief last night. We hear the VFD insurance should cover the young man’s hospital costs…but how can insurance cover something not contained in the report?…
Quite a few residents were taken aback by the Chief’s remarks about the young man when he replied to the inquiry with a little humor and said “he ( the boy) learned his lesson.”…with a laugh…
This young man according to many should not have been in the area and certainly not near a building that according to the BSO Incident Report which states at the scene…’Tony Noah from Broward County Environmental Protection Division (954) 765-4400 responded and declared the Burger King structure unsafe’
To stand by and direct a minor to be in such an area…to result in being injured and then to make a joke…bodes poorly on the VFD leadership!…
more to come…
